Physics 1:32: 9.3.3 Radioactivity & Half-life

Multiple Choice

Which of the following describes alpha decay?

• Decay in which the original nucleus gains or loses a proton, but the total number of nucleons remains the same

• Decay in which the nucleus loses 2 protons and 2 neutrons

• Decay in which the original nucleus does not lose or gain protons or neutrons

Multiple Choice

Which of the following describes beta decay?

• Decay in which the original nucleus gains or loses a proton, but the total number of nucleons remains the same

• Decay in which the nucleus loses 2 protons and 2 neutrons

• Decay in which the original nucleus does not lose or gain protons or neutrons

Multiple Choice

Which of the following describes gamma decay?

• Decay in which the original nucleus gains or loses a proton, but the total number of nucleons remains the same

• Decay in which the nucleus loses 2 protons and 2 neutrons

• Decay in which the original nucleus does not lose or gain protons or neutrons

Multiple Choice

Which type of radioactive decay is the least penetrating?

• Alpha particles

• Beta particles

• Gamma rays

Multiple Choice

Which type of radioactive decay is the most penetrating?

• Alpha particles

• Beta particles

• Gamma rays

Multiple Choice

Which isotope would be best to date a bone that had been buried for about 4 years?

• Uranium-238

• Potassium-40

• Cobalt-60

• Gold-198

Multiple Choice

The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days. If a sample originally contains 0.96 g of the isotope, how much will remain after 16 days?

• 0.06 g

• 0.12 g

• 0.24 g

• 0.48 g

Multiple Choice

A sample contains 10 g of a radioactive isotope. How much radioactive isotope will remain in the sample after 3 half-lives?

• 1.25 g

• 2.5 g

• 5.0 g

• 10.0 g

Multiple Choice

The ratio of carbon-14 to nitrogen-14 in an artifact is 1:3. Given that the half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years, how old is the artifact?

• 5730 years

• 11,460 years

• 17,190 years

• 22,920 years